Kate Bush, Diana Ross And Tiffany Enjoy Yet Another “Stranger Things” Bump!
The final season of Stranger Things has arrived on Netflix, and its playlist feels tailor-made for us! We’re looking at a three-way diva takeover involving Kate Bush, Diana Ross and Tiffany.
The queens of the 80s return.
When Stranger Things Season 4 dropped, it catapulted Kate Bush’s 1985 masterpiece Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) back into the global consciousness. It became the anthem for character Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink) as she fought to stay tethered to reality against the villainous Vecna.
Now, with the final season premiering, the track is climbing the charts yet again. While Max lies comatose in the hospital, Lucas Sinclair (Caleb McLaughlin) plays the song at her bedside in hopes of a revival.
But Kate is not alone this time. Diana Ross’ 1980 disco-funk hit Upside Down is also seeing a massive surge in streams thanks to the use of the song in the first episode, in which the kids play the song as part of a coded message about “the Upside Down” parallel universe beneath the town. It is a musical choice so fitting for a show about a parallel dimension that we are surprised it took them this long.
Rounding out this holy trinity is Tiffany. Her 1987 hit, I Think We’re Alone Now is enjoying a major revival, too, thanks to a reboot courtesy of Stranger Things. It’s camp, nostalgic, and it proves that a good pop never truly dies.
A battle for the number one spot.
While these icons are racing up the charts, they are facing unexpected competition from a member of the Hawkins gang. Joe Keery, who plays the fan-favourite Steve Harrington, is currently sitting at the top of the charts with his musical project Djo.
Keery’s track End Of Beginning, from his 2022 album Decide, went viral on TikTok earlier this year. Fans have been using the line “And when I’m back in Chicago” to soundtrack their videos.
Keery told Variety he was surprised by the success, noting, “It’s pretty cool that people at least connect enough with the song to share it in that way.”
Now, we have a genuine chart battle. It is the breakout star of the show versus the legends who defined the decade the show is set in.
Will Byers and the moment we have waited for.
The music is not the only thing keeping us glued to the screen. For years, fans have speculated about Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) and his sexuality. At DNA, we have followed the breadcrumbs since Season 1.
Noah Schnapp confirmed previously that Will is indeed gay and in love with his best friend Mike. In this final season, that subtext is finally becoming text. The storyline explores the isolation of feeling different in a small town in the 1980s. It resonates deeply with anyone who grew up feeling like an outsider.
Between the chart-topping divas and a tender, long-awaited coming-out arc, the final season is shaping up to be a defining moment in pop culture.
